Donna at WayMoreHomemade is hosting a carnival today about the holidays. I've been thinking about what I would want to write. But the face of the holiday has changed so much for us. For my husband and me individually as our grandparents aged and died. For me in the loss of a parent and us in the loss of a child. Sometimes this is a hard time of year.. and one I don't particularly get excited about. Like I said, sometimes it's just hard.
But I tried to think of something that's always been a constant. And that would be ornaments. The year we married, we were living on a shoestring, so I made all our ornaments. I was seriously into the whole 'country' thing so I made mauve and blue stuffed hearts to hang all over the tree. I have since made a full recovery from my attachment to mauve and country blue. Ahem. I liked it but of course, it wasn't the classic gold or red. Now I feel like I was ahead of the curve when I see all the wild colors on trees now. We bought an ornament that year to remember our first year. And after that, we decided to buy an ornament every year to commemorate something or other. One year it was a key ornament when we bought our house, there were 2 pregnant ornaments and all the various baby and child ornaments.
Early on in our marriage, a friend and I used to make a treasure hunt out of finding cute ornaments for me. We found loads of mouse ornaments! I used to collect mice and I think she used to get a kick out of me making a big fuss over the sweet little things. Every year when I unwrap them, it's like I'm getting them for the first time again. So stinkin' cute!
One thing that comes to mind every year, is the last ornament our son picked out. At Christmas, we knew he wouldn't be with us much longer, and yet we just continued on with a quiet knowing that this was going to be 'it'. It was very surreal. We went on and let the kids pick out their ornaments as usual. Bub picked out a Veggie Tales one. I have a pic of him proudly holding up his ornament when we decorated the tree. And we continue to purchase ornaments in his memory when we see something that is particularly 'him'. And of course, BooBoo gets an ornament too.
People have given me homemade ornaments and I love those. And I've made a few more recently myself. Last year I gave out dough ornaments as simple small gifts for teachers etc. Boo Boo and I had fun making and painting them together. I have a cross cookie cutter and I'd like to use that this year and make some more. (hint hint: would love ideas on colors to paint them and/or something to write on them etc)
For more traditions, go visit Donna at Way More Homemade Holidays!
3 comments:
We have done the ornament-a-year thing too. And just like you, unpacking them each year brings back so many memories! I pray the ones of Bub bring only good memories at a time that's difficult when you're missing him and others. Christmas blessings.
Like you, and Kim (above), we also do the ornaments each year to symbolize what has gone on in our family, and with each child over the year. We put our tree up last weekend, and visiting all of those memories was wonderful. I cried some, too, over the loss of my dad.
Kay, I will continue to pray for you and your family as you are especially missing your darling son. May the Lord fill you with His Strength and Peace and JOY - so much that it can only be explained by Him. Stay in His Word - and He will gift you with it. Have a blessed bloggy break.
Jennifer
Can I just say that I love you sweet friend. And I love the perspective life has given you. I can't imagine how precious and yet difficult it to see his ornaments each year.
I understand the feeling of loss, though. Both of my grandfathers passed at the holidays, one at Christmas and one at Thanksgiving. And now with both of my grandmothers gone, it's all very strange.
Have a good break and a Happy Thanksgiving.
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